Stovepipe-shelf



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES N. JOHNSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

' STOV'EPlPE-SH ELF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,461, dated September 4, 1894.

Application' ined nach s, 1394. serial No. 502,928. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES N. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain shelf as to greatly lessen the cost of manuother articles.

facture and at the same time add to the rigidity, general appearance and eiiiciency of the shelf.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my improved form of shelf. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the inner sheet metal rim showing the ends in an unlocked position, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the sheet metal rim showin g the manner of securing the radiating wires thereto. Fig. 4 is a section of inner rim showing the manner of securing the extremity of the wire composing the shelf.

Mypresent form of xshelf consists essentially of an inner exible sheet metal rim, (A) which is adapted toencirele any form of stove-pipe, and a single wire (B) so bent and secured to the rim (A) as to take the form of a series of radiating arms and braces therefor, the arms being adapted to aiord a suit-V able and convenient support for dishes or From one end to the other of this fiexible metal rim (A) is punched a series of parallel, equidistant openings or slots (C) which incline slightly to the direction of the perpendicular from the upper or lower edge of the rim.

The single continuous Wire (B) forming the horizontal upper surface of the shelf as well as the inclined under. braces -is bent to form a. series of adjoining triangles, the number of triangles thus formed being equal to the num; ber of radiating arms composing the shelf.

' The manner of securing the continuous wire (B) to the iiexible rim (A) is clearly shown `in Figs. 1 and 3. The concave base (D) of' each of the series of wire triangles which encircle the inner rim (A) in a transverse direction is caused to protrude through one of the parallel grooves (C) Where it is held by means of the wire (E) which encircle the rim (A) and passes between the rim and the protruding portion of the convex base.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the manner of securing one extremity (F) (that on theleft side of Fig. 1), of the wire (B) to the rim (A) which consists of pressing the wire (B) after passving under the lower edge of the rim (A), up

against the outer surface of the rim. The other extremity of the wire (B) (that on the right side of Fig. 1), after passingover'the upper edge of the inner rim (A) is bent radially outward for a short distance and terminates in a hook the use of which I will explain hereinafter.

In order to keep the outer extremities or vertices of the' series of triangular shaped radii at the desired distances apart I have -v Vprovided the outer rim wire (H) which passes within the triangles and near their outer vertices,the latter being pressed together to form a close and binding contact with the rim wire (H).

The course of the wire (B) relative to the inner and outer rims (A) and (H) respectively, is readily seen from Fig. 1. The left hand extremity of the wire (B) being secured to the rim (A) as explained above and shown in Fig. .4 thence passes inward through the slot (C) thence over the securing wire (E) and returns through the slot (C) after which it passes over the upper edge of the rim (A) from which it extends radially and horizontally outward until it reaches the outer rim (H) which it encircles and then runs in an inclined direction downward toward the lower edge of the inner rim (A) and then through the adjoining slot (C) over a similar route to that just described, so continuing until the entire shelf is formed. The exact course of the Wire (B) can be more readily traced by taking a portion of the wire (B) near the center of Fig. 1 and following the numbers from (1) to (e).

Situated atene extremity of the inner rim IOO (A) and passing through the extreme one of Y the series of parallel slots (C) is a triangular shaped metal lockingV clamp (I) which is loosely secured to and is prevented 'from belng detached from the rim (A) by means of the wire (E) which passes through a slot (J) in the clamp, the extremity of the wire passing around the end of the Vrim (A). While the radiating wires (B) approach to within a short distance ot' the extremity of the rim bearing the clamp (I), the other extremity of the rim (A) extends aconsiderable distance past the wire frame Work and is adaptedv to aiord a considerable length of adjustingsurface, thereby adapting the shelf to various sizes of stove-pipes. In Fig. l I have shown Y in dotted lines the relative positions'of the Vpipe and shelf.

It will be readily seen from Figs. 1 and12 that the plate or clamp (I) can be made to enter any one of the slots (7), 8, 9, 10, &c., and further that by springing the outwardly eX- tending extremity (K) ot' the wire (B) downward and causing the lock (G) to engage with the vertex of the clamp (I) the latter is prevented from being accidentally detached from Ythe groove (C). It is further manifest that as the triangular plate (I) is inserted in one of the parallel slots (C) and the end drawn toward the lock (G) it aords the additional function of acting as a lever to tighten the rim (A) about the stove-pipe.

The radiating wires (B) while aording a horizontal surface for the reception of the dishes and cooking utensils of various sizes, also furnish a convenient drying and heating rack, as plates of various sizes can be placed edgewise between the wires as shown on the left s1de of Fig. 1. When however the diameter of the plate is less than the distance between the rims (A) and (H) it can be placed diagonally between the converging sides of one of the triangles. v

I will now explain the successive steps in the manufacture in my improved form of shelf: The rim (A) being formed of a straight strip of galvanized iron or other suitable metal is perforated with the series of parallel slots. The wire (B) is then bent by suitable mechanism into a series ofcompact adjoining triangles, the concave bases of which are inserted in thegrooves (C) when thewire- (E) is threaded between the protruding portions ofthe bases and' the rimv (A). The rim (A) is then' bent to conform with theouter curve of an ordinary stove-pipe, after which the outer rim (H) ispositioned as describedabove.

Taking advantage ofthefact that the radiating wires composing-the 'uppersnrface of the shelf diverge toward the outer rim.` (H), I have caused the wooden rod or arm`(L) whose diameter is slightly greater than the distance between the inner ends of successive radiating arms, to be placed in the position shown in Fig. 1, which alords a readily detachable and efiicient rack forthe drying of dish cloths, towels or other similar articles.

' I am aware that changes in the number and proportion of parts of the devices herein shown and described as an embodiment of my invention, can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof and I therefore reserve the right to 'make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

By the improved construction herein shown and described, I am enabled to manufacture and place on the market a far superior stove pipe-shelf at a very moderate cost and thus to meet the demands of the trade.

Having thus fully described myinventon,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters 'that bearing said perforations, andradapted to engage withthe vortex of said pivoted member and thereby retain the latter in, one of said grooves, substantially as set forth.

2. In a stove pipe shelf the combination of the wire (B) forming the top and bottom of Iheshelf proper, the inner atmetal rim (A),

said metal rirn beingr perforated Vwith a series of parallel grooves (C), a portion of said wire (B) being adaptedrto protrude through saidv grooves andretained therein by'means of the wire E, and means for retaining' the shelf in position on a stove pipe, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a stove pipe shelf the combinationofl a flat metal rim, with a series of adjoining triangular arms radiatingfrom said rim, aseriesof parallel oblong-perforations or slots in said rim, said slots-being adapted toallow a concaved side of' said triangular arms to protrude through the rim where they are retained by means of a wire encircling said rim and passing between the protruding portique ofl said triangles and the rim, said triangulararms being formed of one contin-uonswire, and a rim wire secured to the outer vertices of said tri-angular arms and adapted to retain the vertices at the required' distancesapart Vand means for clamping` the shelf to thepipe,

substantially as setf forth.

In testimony whereofjI affix my Signat-twain l presence'of two witnesses.

CHARLES N. JOHNSON- IOO 

